A student from Development Aid from the People to People Institute of Zimbabwe has undertaken to share knowledge in agriculture with his fellow villagers at Mabushe in the Kavango East Region.
Marcelius Kanyetu says the initiative will help mitigate poverty in the village and promote a balanced diet at the household level.
Kanyetu is training youth and elders on how to maintain backyard gardens and also educating them on the importance of tree planting.
He says many people do not want to participate in agriculture because they believe it is costly.
20 people are currently in training.
"There is manure, there is good soil, there is ash, and there are a lot of things to be done. Can't we use those ones to bring it into our own hands and then bring the food to the table? My aim was only to mitigate or to work together with the government to help the government, but before the government comes in to give me what is being required there, I should find myself that at least."
Kanyetu says the aim of the project is to see the youth become independent.
"I want to see everyone stand on their own, and everyone should have what we should have from here. Imagine people leaving the village to go to Rundu. You know how far it is to Rundu to buy a cabbage, green pepper, or carrot. Why not come up with this low-cost initiative so that at least for some of the cost we are taking from here 70km to Rundu and then we have our small-scale market here and then we sell and we get some little money?"
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism's Community-Based Natural Resource Manager for the two Kvango Regions, Leopoldine Haushiku, encouraged the youth to take agriculture seriously.
"We are working against climate change that demands we are all better. Let us redouble our efforts to plant trees. Getting our hands dirty will enable us to support more love across the globe. Tree planting is needed now more than ever to slow climate change, improve wildlife habitat, strengthen our communities, and provide equitable access to green space. The time to do so is now."
Mabushe Clinic has allocated land for training purposes.
The DAPP student also took time to demonstrate and teach learners at Neyuva Senior Secondary School how to do proper tree planting.